The Prix du Pin is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

History The event takes its name from France's oldest horse breeding establishment, located at Le Pin-au-Haras in Orne. The stud farm's construction was authorised by Louis XIV in 1715, and the first horses it accommodated were transferred from the previous Royal Stud at Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines in 1717.

The Prix du Pin was introduced at Chantilly in 1883. It was run over 3,000 metres in late October, and was initially designed to test the aptitudes of horses for carrying unusually high weights. The burden for four-year-olds was 78½ kg (173 lb), while that for older horses was 80 kg (176 lb). It was cut to 2,000 metres in 1904.

The event was cancelled in 1906 as an indirect result of public disorder at Longchamp. Three meetings were switched to Chantilly, and to make way for the extra races the Prix du Pin was dropped. It was moved to Longchamp and restored to 3,000 metres the following year. It was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1918.

The original conditions were maintained until 1928. From this point the basic weight for horses aged four or older was 60 kg (132 lb). The race was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was held at Maisons-Laffitte in 1943 and Le Tremblay in 1944.

The distance of the Prix du Pin remained at 3,000 metres until 1949. It was subsequently contested over 2,500 metres (1950–51), 1,850 metres (1952–55), 2,600 metres (1956) and 2,000 metres (1957–59). In the 1960s, it was run over 1,850 metres (1960–61), 2,100 metres (1962–63), 2,000 metres (1964) and 1,800 metres (1965–69). It was shortened to 1,400 metres in 1970.

For a period the Prix du Pin held Listed status. It was promoted to Group 3 level in 2004.

Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Mamiano – 1895, 1896 Porthos – 1935, 1937 Kaldoun – 1978, 1979

Leading jockey (5 wins): Christophe Soumillon – Sahpresa (2010), Taniyar (2015), Jallota (2016), City Light (2019), Sagamiyra (2021)

Leading trainer (7 wins): Criquette Head-Maarek – Made of Pearl (1986), Bitooh (1988), Malaspina (1989), Neverneyev (1994), Vert Val (1997), Midnight Foxtrot (1999), Etoile Montante (2003)

Leading owner (5 wins): Daniel Wildenstein – Perpetual (1969), Johannesburg (1974), Nurabad (1976), Poplar Bluff (1995), Alamo Bay (1998) Aga Khan IV – Kaldoun (1978, 1979), Zarannda (1996), Taniyar (2015), Sagamiyra (2021)

Winners since 1978 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1978 Kaldoun 3 Jacques Heloury François Mathet Aga Khan IV 1:23.10 1979 Kaldoun 4 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Aga Khan IV 1980 Princesse Lida 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 1981 Princely Ruler 3 Maurice Philipperon John Cunnington, Jr. Ralph Wilson 1982 Prospero 5 Claude Ramonet C. Hervé Mrs Sylvain Aknin 1983 Ice Hot 3 Gérard Dubroeucq Claude Beniada Richard Winn 1984 Nikos 3 Alain Badel J. C. Cunnington Countess Batthyany 1985 River Drummer 3 Alain Lequeux François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1986 Made of Pearl 3 Gérald Mossé Criquette Head Ecurie Aland 1987 Allius 4 Yves Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré Etti Plesch 1988 Bitooh 3 Guy Guignard Criquette Head Maktoum Al Maktoum 1989 Malaspina 5 Guy Guignard Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 1990 Philippi 4 Gérald Mossé Nicolas Clément Jean-Louis Beuzelin 1991 Hello Pink 3 Alain Badel Henri van de Poele Leseleuc de Kerouara 1:24.00 1992 Kenbu 3 Freddy Head François Boutin Tomohiro Wada 1:23.50 1993 Sharp Prod 3 Lester Piggott Lord Huntingdon Elizabeth II 1:24.70 1994 Neverneyev 4 Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 1:25.50 1995 Poplar Bluff 3 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 1:28.20 1996 Zarannda 3 Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 1:25.70 1997 Vert Val 3 Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Wertheimer et Frère 1:22.80 1998 Alamo Bay 5 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 1:24.40 1999 Midnight Foxtrot 3 Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:22.70 2000 Touch of the Blues 3 Dominique Boeuf Carlos Laffon-Parias Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:21.80 2001 Amonita 3 Thierry Jarnet Pascal Bary Mrs Paul de Moussac 1:23.90 2002 Cayoke 5 Thierry Gillet Sylvain Guillot Patricia Beck 1:23.30 2003 Etoile Montante 3 Olivier Peslier Criquette Head-Maarek Khalid Abdullah 1:20.00 2004 Comete 5 Davy Bonilla Maxime Cesandri Mrs Jean-Claude Bouret 1:20.10 2005 Coupe de Champe 4 Stéphane Pasquier Patrick Tual Jacques Seror 1:19.90 2006 Price Tag 3 Thierry Thulliez Pascal Bary Khalid Abdullah 1:22.70 2007 Sabana Perdida 4 Christophe Lemaire Alain de Royer-Dupré Scuderia Zaro 1:19.80 2008 Captain's Lover 4 Stéphane Pasquier André Fabre Team Valor 1:20.30 2009 Proviso 4 Stéphane Pasquier André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 1:22.13 2010 Sahpresa 5 Christophe Soumillon Rod Collet Douglas McIntyre 1:19.67 2011 Best Dating 4 Gregory Benoist Stéphane Wattel Jean-Jacques Rabineau 1:24.02 2012 Blue Soave 4 Thierry Thulliez Fabrice Chappet Belluteau / Gustave 1:20.13 2013 Desert Blanc 5 Gregory Benoist Christian Baillet Ecurie Jarlan 1:20.31 2014 Bamiyan 4 Thierry Jarnet Thierry Lemer Henri de la Chauvelais 1:20.09 2015 Taniyar 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:19.63 2016 Jallota 5 Christophe Soumillon Charlie Hills Fitri Hay 1:24.16 2017 Karar 5 Gregory Benoist Francis-Henri Graffard Al Shaqab Racing 1:24.05 2018 Tornibush 4 Olivier Peslier Philippe Decouz Antoine Griezmann & Ecurie Seyssel 1:18.93 2019 City Light 5 Christophe Soumillon Stephane Wattel Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard 1:18.37 2020 Earthlight 3 Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Godolphin 1:18.42 2021 Sagamiyra 4 Christophe Soumillon Mikel Delzangles HH Aga Khan IV 1:20.40 2022 Fang 4 Cristian Demuro Jean-Claude Rouget Ecurie B Weill, Laurent Dassault Et Al. 1:21.30 2023 Fang 5 Cristian Demuro Jean-Claude Rouget Ecurie B Weill, Laurent Dassault Et Al. 1:19.66 2024 Topgear 5 Stephane Pasquier Christopher Head Hisaaki Saito 1:21.27 Keos finished first in 1997, but he was relegated to third place following a stewards' inquiry.

The 2016 & 2017 runnings took place at Chantilly while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment.

Earlier winners

1883: Athala 1884: Louis d'Or 1885: Fra Diavolo 1886: Barberine 1887: Presta 1888: Bavarde 1889: Bocage 1890: Barberousse 1891: Le Glorieux 1892: Fitz Roya 1893: Avoir 1894: Boissiere 1895: Mamiano 1896: Mamiano 1897: Champaubert 1898: General Albert 1899: Cazabat 1900: 1901: Ivoire 1902: La Camargo 1903: Exema 1904: Hebron 1905: Presto 1906: 1907: Moulins la Marche 1908: 1909: 1910: Ronde de Nuit 1911: Cadet Roussel 1912: 1913: Afgar 1914: 1919: Marmouset 1920: Simpri 1921: As des As 1922: Bassan 1923: 1924: Quinze Mille 1925: Catalin 1926: Winner 1927: Wonderful 1928: Philemon 1929: Mondovi / Suzerain * 1930: Nil 1931: Burlington Arcade 1932: Rhone 1933: Barneveldt 1934: Gracchus 1935: Porthos 1936: Son in Love 1937: Porthos 1938: Vent du Nord 1939–40: no race 1941: Chambord 1942: Threw 1943: Kilbiri 1944: Garde a Vous 1945: 1946: 1947: 1948: Diable Gris 1949: Finaud 1950: Petite Main 1951: Templier 1952: Minoutchehr 1953: 1954: Damelot 1955: Hathor 1956: Valcares 1957: Chippendale 1958: 1959: Theodebert 1960: 1961: 1962: Esmar 1963: 1964: Aravios 1965: Le Fabuleux 1966: 1967: Adjar 1968: Iranovo 1969: Perpetual 1970: Moi Meme 1971: 1972: 1973: 1974: Johannesburg 1975: Northern Taste 1976: Nurabad 1977:

* The 1929 and 1945 races were dead-heats and have joint winners.

See also List of French flat horse races

References

France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix du Pin. galopp-sieger.de – Prix du Pin. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix du Pin (2016). pedigreequery.com – Prix du Pin – Longchamp.